Neighborhoods

Most freshmen students live on campus in one of Washington State University’s five residence halls, each with their own unique layout and governance with special activities. However, many sophomores do choose to move off-campus to save money and gain more independence. To that end, the school does offer resources to help its students find off-campus housing at Washington State University.

Off-campus housing is mostly made up of apartment complexes and privately owned rentals. Typically, students moving off-campus stay east of North Grand Avenue and north of Main Street to Kitzmiller Road. Although, some WSU students do choose to move further away from campus to Military Park for a quieter college experience.

College Hill is a popular neighborhood for off-campus living. This is where Greek Row is located, home to the sorority and frat houses of 27 Greek communities. The school’s president and some faculty also live in this neighborhood as well as some residents. In fact, a neighborhood association was formed to create events and communication within the community.

Some popular apartment buildings in College Hill include Churchill Downs, Birch Hills, Pine Ridge, and Emerald Dawns. These buildings have two to three-bedroom apartments complete with kitchens and living areas. While the units are a bit dated, they are within a 15-minute walk to campus.

On the south end of campus is Evolve on Main, a newer apartment complex located on Main Street. It has units ranging from studios to full five-bedroom apartments. The appliances and layouts are updated. The building also includes amenities such as a gym and recreation area. This is about a 15-minute walk to campus.

On the north end of campus are two more popular complexes, The Ruckus and The Retreat Pullman. These complexes are both newer with updated and modern facilities and appliances for students. These are about a 25-minute walk to campus.

Restaurants

Students living off-campus can find a plethora of restaurants along North Grand Avenue, Main Street, and right on campus.

North Grand Avenue is home to the Cougar Country Drive In, Red Bento, Nuevo Vallarta, Golden Teriyaki, and Starbucks – a great many options for all types of cravings.

Where Main Street meets North Grand Avenue there are a cluster of great restaurants including Black Cypress, Mandarin House, Paradise Creek Brewery, O-Ramen, and Porch Light Pizza.

While attending classes on campus, students can stop by Domino’s, Hillside Café, Delish, or Einstein Bagels for a bite to eat.

For those students living on the north end of campus, two restaurants are available for dining: Azia and The Land.

Popular college bars in the area include Etsi Bravo, Stubblefields, The Coug, Pauly’s Bar and Grill, Rico’s Pub, Valhalla, and My Office Bar & Grill.

Transportation

Washington State University has implemented its own transit system known as Pullman Transit. This bus route is free to students who have a valid Cougar ID and operates seven days a week during the academic school year. It has stops around campus as well as some stops off campus to help students avoid walking up and down the hills of Pullman. Students can keep up with transit routes and timetables through the mobile app. It also offers express routes to the stadium during football games.

The Wheatland Express shuttle offers express routes to Seattle, about a four and a half-hour ride, and Spokane Airport, about an hour and a half ride.

Washington State University has also implemented the Zimride Program, which allows students and faculty to share rides with fellow members of the university. This carpooling service allows you to fill empty seats in your car or fill an empty seat in someone else’s car if you are both going to the same destination.

Parking

There are multiple parking garages, and lots located on campus. Students, faculty, and visitors can pay hourly or daily rates to park in these locations. Parking permits are also available, both annual and daily passes for those students living off-campus or commuting.

There are also parking meters located around campus where students can park for a few hours.

For students living off-campus, most if not all complexes and rentals have parking spaces available. If not, there is street parking available for these students.

Safety

Washington State University has its own police force, which they rely on for the safety of their students both on and off-campus.

The university has implemented an alert system, which will send a text or email directly to students in the case of an emergency or incident on or near campus.

Shopping

The small town of Pullman has a handful of shopping options for students at Washington State University. There are two secondhand stores, the Thrift Store on campus and Michelle’s Closet, a consignment shop on Main Street. There are also small boutiques, Flirt, and Monroe, where students can purchase gifts and clothing.

The Wheatland Shopping Center is located south of campus and has multiple storefronts including a Rite Aid and a Dollar Tree.

There are a few grocery stores in the area including Dissmores, Safeway, the Grocery Outlet, and Walmart. Most of these are located south of campus. However, there are a few corner stores or convenience grocery shops in the off-campus neighborhoods for students who need a quick ingredient or meal to whip up.